Feeding mechanism



E. E. WINKLEY.

FEEDING MECHANISM APPLICATION FlLED MAR. 18, 19I B.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

7 SHEETS-SHEET I.

I Inventor" E. E. WINKLEY.

. FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18, 1918.

1 ,368,313, Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

I YSHEETS-SHEET 2. FDA:

A AB i a 1 J 53 5 a W X, 1 E 3w 6 Z9 E i i /J a 5i 2% x4 32 I? /f Fig;2

M37555 l rnve'z CDT" E. E. WINKLEY.

FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18, 191B.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

7SHEETSSHEET 3.

E. E. WINKLEY.

FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18, 1918.

37 X J7 3a 46 mZ/M Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

E. E. WINKLEY.

FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-18,1918. 1,368,313. I Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

7 SHEETSSHEET 5- mz/A/ WW 1222f E. E. WINKLEY.

FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18, 1915.

1,368,313. Patented Feb. 15,1921.

7SHEETSSHEET 6- !?94 E 5 252 I W T :1 Ma 1' T 95 24 l l I I 95 E11; #4 mi.

RVETDULDT E. E. WINKLEY.

FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION man MAR-18.1918.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

7 sums-sum z.

fiver-352:2?"

.I I/I'UTUESS UNITED S ATES PATENT or-rice;

S. E. wINxLEY, or LYNN, uassaonusnrrs, ASSIGNOR T0 UNITED snon MACHINERY CORPORATION, or PAT'ERso NEW JE SEY,

NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION or FEEDING, MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

original app'lication filed May 1913, Serial No. 98,288. Divided and this application filed March 18 1918. Serial No. 223,220. g

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, ERASTUS E. WINKLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at L nn, in the county of'Essex and State of assachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Feeding Mechanisms; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descrlption of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to mechanisms for automatically feeding heel-lifts or other pieces of shoestock, and it is applicable particularly to machines for sorting or grading such pieces in accordance with their mass, thickness or other characteristics, although, broadly considered, the invention is adapted for general utility in feeding pieces of various kinds and for many different purposes.

The present invention is an improvement on the machine for feeding and sorting or grading pieces of. shoe stock illustrated and described inLetters Patent of the United States No. 1,270,476, granted June 25, 1918, to the present applicant.

One object of the invention, relating particularly to machines for handling heelstock, is to provide machines of that type with improved means for holding a stack of pieces of stock and feeding or delivering them to the other instrumentalities of the machine. To that end, the feed-mechanism of the present invention includes, in addi-- tion to elements employed in the machine disclosed in the above-mentioned application, an adjustable gage-member adapted to cooperate with the breast-edges or surfaces of the pieces of stock, so as to insure proper alinement of these pieces at the time of delivery from the stack. With respect to the feeding means, the invention also embraces improved stop-fingers for engaging the endmost pieces of the stack and these stopfingers are rotatably mounted on an inclined pivot so that their path of movement is at a slight angle to the face of the end-m-ost piece in the stack whereby engagementwith the edges thereof isavoidedc Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the class in question with a picker-mechanism of simple and efficient means for positively Fig. 4 is a vertical section present inventor has devised a handllng or feeding pieces of form. The means of.

leather, or other shoestock, by which pieces Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

0 another ing a definite relation to that in which it is- I first engaged. The picker-mechanism of .the present invention performs this function, and the improvements in question relate particularly to the manner in which the claws are arranged and operated, and to the multlple arrangement of the pickers and locking the' picker mechanism in its operative ositions.

To the end last mentione each picker of the present invention is provided with one or more claws which project helically from shank or head, andare so actuated that they may be caused to "enter the substance of a piece ofstock by a combined rotary and advancing movement in extension of then curvature. Other improvements in the picker-mechanism and the parts associated therewith reside in the means for securing the claws removably in place, the mechanism by whlch the advancing, retreating and ro- ,tary movements are imparted to the pickers, the piece of stock picker device in its operative positions.

Other objects of the invention, and the features of construction and operation by which they are attained, will be set forth hereinafter, in connection with the description of the illustrated embodiment of the invention,

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a slde-elevation of a machine embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan-view of a portion of the machine; on the line 4-4 in Fig. 1, but on a larger scale than the latter figure; Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 in Fig. 1, but on a' larger scale; Fig. 6 is a with machines of the type and ber 1,1918, to the present applicant and section on the line 6--6 in Fig. 1, but on a larger scale; Fig. 7 is a detail lan-view, partly in section on the line 7-7 in Fig. 6;

ig. 8 is a side-elevation, partly in vertical section on the line 88 in-Fig. 3, showing particularly the picker-mechanism of the machine; Fig. 9 is, a horizontal section on the line 99 in Fig. 8, but on a larger scale than the latter figure; Fig. 10' is an elevation looking from left to right in Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a section on the line 1111-in Fig.

8, but on a'larger scale than the latter figure. The invention is illustrated as embodied in a machine of the type disclosed in the above mentioned Letters Patent and also in Letters Patent No. 1,280,349, granted Octowhich this application is a division. In

machines of this type, the, stock which is handled consists of pieces of leather or other sheet-material which have been died-out in the form of lifts suitable for use in the manufacture of shoe-heels. The operation performed upon these heel lifts, by the machine in question, is that of grading or sorting them in accordance with a mass-characteristic of the lifts. This operation is performed by operative instrumentalities which are adapted to subject eac'h heel-lift t'ol a heavy pressure over a definite limited portion of its area, and'thereafter to discharge the lift into one or, another of a series of stack-holders in accordance with the thickness of the lift at said definite portion whensubject to the said compression.

While the various features of the present invention are useful, and may be conven- 1ently described as employed, in connectlon such stock. Accordingly, the. machine will not be described herein in its entirety, but

-only so far as is necessary for an understanding of those parts which pertain to the feed-mechanism. v x

In the illustrated machine, the heel-lifts to be operated upon are held and advanced in a horizontally extending stack, upon ,a feed-table, and are withdrawn one at a time from the end of the stack b means of the pjickewmechanism hereina ter described. ach lift so withdrawn is then deposited, by the picker-mechanism, in one of a circular series of receptacles provided at the periphery of a carrier which rotates about a vertical axis. The carrier rotates with a step-by-step movement, thus bringing each lift successively to, a point at which it is operated upon by the pressing instrumentalities, and then to a series of points in performing In its general structure the machine comprises a hollow column 24, upon the upper end of which is fixed a generally-circular frame-plate 26, while a second stationary frame-plate 28, similar in form, is fixed above the plate 26 and connected rigidly thereto by uprights 30. Intermediate the stationary plates 26 and 28, and loosely mounted upon a central vertical sleeve 29, is an intermittently rotated carrier 31 having a plurality 'of peripheral lift-receiving receptacles 33. The feed mechanism is supported upon a feed-table in the form of a bracket 32, which extends from one side of the frame-structure just above described.

The various mechanisms of the machine are actuated by cams mounted upon a cam-shaft 34 which isjournaled, in horizontal position, within the lower part of the column 24, as shown in-Fig. 2.

The feed-mechanism *is shown particularly in Figs.- 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. The stack of lifts X is supportedwupon a grooved horizontal rail 36, which is mounted above the feed-table 32, and the lifts rest upon this rail with the curved back-portions of their edges downward. The stack of lifts is supportedlaterally by guides37, which constitute parts of housings in which two end-- less chains 38 are arranged with parallel stretches extending alongside the stack. Each chain is provided, at intervals, with spring-pressed pointed pawls 40, which extend inwardly beyond the guides 37 so that they may engage the lateral margins or thb side edges of Whatever lifts chance to lie adjacent to them, and thus drive the stack forwardly as a consequence of the movement of the chains. Owing to the yieldable character of the pawls, additional lifts may be introduced between them by pushing the lifts forward between the chains and into engagement with the rearmost liftin the stack. Fig. 5 shows, at the left, a rear-view of one of the pawls, together with a sec -tional view ofanother pawl and thespring 42 by which it is actuated.

The chains 38 are supported by means of sprocket-wheels 46, the wheels being fixed on the upper ends of shafts 48 which are journaled vertically in two frames 44. In order to drive the chains, the shafts at the inner endsof the frames are provided, as

'shown in Fig. 4, with worm-wheels 50 at their lower ends, and these worm-wheels engage right and left hand worms on a shaft 52 which is journaled transversely on the feed-table 32. The shaft 52 is actuated intermittently, bymeans of a rocker-arm 54 I pivoted on its outer end, this arm constituting a member of a roller-wedge clutch as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the other member of the clutch being a disk 55 fixed orted, at one end, in a bearing onthe racket 59. The sleeve 64 is free to slide upon the shaft, but is pressed toward a col-i lar 60, which isfixed on the shaft, by means of a spring 66 coiled about the shaft. The other end of the spring rests against a collar 68 which is fixed to the shaft.

By suitable means (not shown) intermittent longitudinal movements are imparted to the shaft 62, and at each left ment, the sleeve 64 rocks the lever 58 in a direction to cause the arm 54, acting through the frictionroller, to impart a partial rotation to the shaft 52. This motion is transmitted to the chains 38 in a direction to cause them to advance the stack of heel-lifts on the rail 36. The movement of the chains is continuous until the movement of the stack is arrestedby means hereinafter described, and thereafter the continu'edmovement of the shaft 62 merely causes compression of the spring 66. The opposite movement of the shaft 62 is imparted positively to the lever. 58 by means of the collar 60, so as to rock the arm 54 back to its original position.

To adjust the feed-mechanism for lifts of different sizes, vertical movement of the rail 36 is necessary. Accordin ly this rail is supported on two stems 0, which slide vertically through the feed-table (Figs. 1 and 4). Each stem is provided, at its lower end, with a pin 72-which is engaged by the slotted end of an arm 74, and these arms are fixed on a rock-shaft 76 extendin lengthwise of the table. At the outer end of the rock-shaft, an arm 77 is fixed, and this arm is provided with a binding-screw 78, which extends through a slot in the flange at the end of the table and constitutes means by which the arm 77 and the rock-shaft may be rocked and then fixed in adjustedposition, the rocking movement resulting in vertical movement of the stems 70 and the rail 36.

/ move transversely 'The adjustment of the feed-mechanism also requires movement of the guides 37 and the feed-chains toward and from each other. Accordingly the frames 44 are arrangedto on the feed-table, being normally fixed to 'the table by bindingscrews 80 which project through slots in thebase-webs of the frames, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4. Sockets 82, at the ends of the frames 44, are engaged by levers 84, the hubs of which are loosely ties, to that disclosed in Letters Patent No.

Qanism of the said patent.

of the stack of lifts, means are provided,

hand move-- plate 92 which is carried at the lower mounted in," pairs, on two rods 86 fixed longitudmallybeneath the feed-table. The levers'84 of each pair are connected together by gearsteeth 88, so as to have equal movementsin opposite directions. By this arrangement the frames 44 are held always parallel and equidistant from the rail 36.

The feed-mechanism of the present machine is similar, in its general characteris- 1,280,349, and it is therefore not claimed broadly as a part of the present invention.

It involves, however, an additional feature constituting an improvement over the mech- At' the inner end not only for supporting them below and laterally, but also for engaging the upper or breast "edges of a plurality of the lifts to aline them and prevent ossible upward displacement thereof as t eir curved lateral edges are acted upon by clamping means described in saidapplication and to insure the exact alinement and correct location of the liftsat the time when they are withdrawn from the feed-mechanism by the pickermechanism. The means in question are shown as embodied in the form of a gageend of a stem 94 as shown particularly in Fig. 6. 95 The stem 94 slides vertically in a guide-way I 96, and is provided with a pin 98 which engages the forked eild of a lever 100. The lever is. connected, by a rod 102, with an arm 104, this arm being integral with the hub 106 (F igf4) of one of the levers 84. A gear-segment 107 on the hub 106 meshes -w1th a segment 90 fixed on the shaft 76.

'to engage the breast edges of the heel-lifts 10 which the feed-mechanism is otherwise adjusted to handle.

I The inner end of the stack of heel-lifts is normally supported by a pair of stop-fingers 108, shown particularly in Figs. 6 and 8. These fingers are pivoted on a stud 110, which is mounted in inclined position on the feed-table, and the fingers are provided with depending arms which are connected, by links 112, with a sleeve 114. This sleeve slides upon a'rod 116 which is fixed on the feed-table at a right angle to the stud 110. The sleeve 114 is connected, by links 118, with an arm 120 which projects from a sleeve 122, and the sleeve is journaled on a rod 124 which is fixed beneath the feedtable. A second arm 126, depending from the sleeve 122, is connected, by a rod 128, with an arm (Fig. 2) which extends upwardly from a sleeve 131. The sleeve 131 130 is journaled on a rod 132 fixed in the column .24, and is provided with a depending arm 134 which carries a roller 136 in en age-' mentwith a .cam 138 on the cam-sha t 34. The'cam mechanism acts, through the connections above described, to swing the stopfingers 108 away from each other, and out of engagement with the endmost lift of .the

stack, at the time when this lift is to be- 'withdrawn bythe picker-mechanism, while the opposite return movement of the parts is produced by a spring 139 attached to the arm 134.

Theinclined position of the stud 110 has the useful result that it causes the stopfingers, in their movements into and out of operative position, to follow paths in planes inclined to the surface of the 11ft engaged by the fingers and remote from the edge of adjustably mounted on slides 142.

this lift, so that the movement of the fingers cannot be interfered with by accidental engagement with the edge of the lift when the fingers return to operative position. This construction and mode of operation constitute a novel feature of the present invention.

The feed-mechanism of the present machine is provided, like that of Letters Patent No. 1,280,349, with means for clamping the lifts at the inner ends of the stack, to

support themagainst the pressure of the picker-mechanlsm. These means comprise clamp-blocks 140 (Figs. 6 and 8) which Tafie e slides have bifurcated upper ends, which are guided by a transverse 'guide-bar144 fixed above the feed-table. At their lower ends,

,the slides are perforated and threaded to receive a shaft 146 having right and left hand threads". The shaft 146 is journaled on the feed-table and is provided, at one end, with a pinion 148 meshing with a segmental gear 150 which is pivotally mounted on the feedtable. The gear 150 is fixed to a second segmental gear 152, which is engaged by a rack 154 which slides vertically in a bearing on the side of the feed-table.

Therack 154 meshes, at its lower end,

with a segmental gear 156 mounted on the shaft 62.. The gear 156 is yoke-shaped, and

is journaled loosely on the shaft, but one of its lateral members is embraced between the fixed collar 68, and asecond collar 157 (Fig.

7) which latter is also fixed to the shaft.

opposite rotation of the shaft moves the gear yieldingly through the force of the spring 158.

The above described arrangement is such that rotation of the shaft 62, as yieldingly transmitted to the gear by the spring 158, causes a downward movement of the rack 154* which, in turn, through the gear-segments 150 and 152 and the pinion 148, causes rotation of the screw-shaft 146 in a direction to move the slides 142 and the clamp-blocks toward each other and into firm engagement with the heel-lifts, while the opposite'movement of the blocks, by which the heel-lifts are unclamped, is caused positively by the opposite rotation of the shaft 62. The rotary movements are imparted to the shaft 62 by means which will be hereinafter described.

Since the clamps have only a short range of operative movement, it is necessary to adjust them, in their original positions, ac-

cording to the size of the heel-lifts upon which the machine is operating. For this purpose the pinion 148 is connected with the shaft 146 by means of a sleeve 162, which is integral with the pinion and is splined upon the shaft. The sleeve is provided with a knurled head 164, and a compression-spring 168 is interposed between the sleeve and a disk 166. fixed on the end of the shaft, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6. When adjustment of the clamps is required, the knurled head 164 may be pulled outwardly, thus sliding thepinion out of engagement with the gear-segment 150, and the head may then be rotated in one direction or the other to move the clamps toward or from each other prior to the engagement of the pinion by the gear.

The picker-mechanism is shown particularly in Figs. 3, 8, 9, 10 and 1 1. A member'170 of the frame of the machine supports the bearing of a horizontal shaft 172,

upon the inner end of which is mounted a rotatable multi-picker member comprising fourradial arms 174. .Eachof these arms constitutes a tubular guide-way in which one of the ickers is supported and guided.

Each pic er has a shank mounted in one of the guide-ways 174, this shank comprising a central rod or stem 176, on the inner end of which is fixed a collar 178 which fits and slides within the guide-way. Near the outer end of the shank, a sleeve 180 is fixed upon the stem, and is provided with elongated gear-teeth 182 which also fit and slide within the guide-way. At the outer extremity of the shank is a head in which are secured four curved claws 184. These claws project helically from the head, that is, in such a direction that they may be introduced into a heel-lift by a helical move ment like that of a cork-screw." Each claw consists of a piece of wire bent into helical form and sharpened at one end. The head tinuation of the the end of the stem, is provided with a conical head engaging a corresponding conical perforation in the member 186, and when this screw is driven home,.it expands that member so as to'cause the claws to be se curely clamped against the inner surface of the collar 188. Upon loosening the screw,

the collar may be removed, and the claws may then be readily removed for replacement or sharpening.

For the purpose of impartin longitudinal movements to the picker, as eeve192 is mounted on the stem 176, and a compression spring 194 is interposed between the sleeve 180 and a washer 196 which is splined,

to thestem and rests against the sleeve 192. This spring acts to retain the sleeve 192 normally against the collar 178, as shown in Fig. 9. The sleeve hasv a lateral projection which extends through a longitudinal slot in the guideway '17 4, and carries a roller 198. This roller traverses a circular pathway 200 which is formed on the face of a stationary disk 202. The disk is provided with a hub 204 which serves as a bearing sleeve for the shaft in the frame member 170.

The engagement of the roller with the pathway retains the, roller normally in its innermost position, as in Fig. 9, but, for the purpose of producing the outward movements of the roller by which the picker is advanced, the pathway is interrupted at two points by gaps to permit the engagement of the roller with two actuating-levers. One of these levers, 206, is provided with two lugs 208 which normally form a conpathway 200, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 8. This lever 206 is pivoted on a stud 209, and its lower end is connected, by a rod 210, with an arm 212 projecting upwardly from a sleeve 214 which turns on the rod 132, as shown in Fig. 2. De pending from the sleeve 214 is an arm 216 which carries a roller 218 engaging a cam 220 on the cam-shaft 34. The cam mechanism just described is'so timed that when" one of the rollers 198 is moved into the space between the lugs 208 and has come to rest with the parts in the position of Fig. 8, the upper end of-the lever 206 is swung toward the left, thus advancing the picker into engagement with the exposed surface of the endmost lift in the stack on the feed table. i,

At the same time, it is necessary to advance the picker which is in the lowermost,

position,,this picker being that which has :enter a 172 and which is fixed received a lift fi'om the feed table and which is in position to deposit the lift in one of the receptacles 33 on the intermittently rotatable carrier'3l. For the purpose of advancing this lowermost picker, a second actuatinglever 222 1 (Fig. 8) is employed, this lever beingmounted upon a stud 224 and having lugssimilar to the lugs 208 which gap in the lower part of the pathway 200 and form a continuation'thereof.

This lever 222 is actuated by connection with the lever 206. For this purpose, it is provided with an arm 226 which is connected, by a link '228, with the upper arm of the lever 206.

In order to lock the picker supporting arms 174 securely against any rotative movement during the advancing and retracting movements of the pickers, each arm is provided with two flanges-230 (Figs. 8, 9, and 11), which are located on opposite sides of the slots through which the rollers 198 move and are shaped to conform to the paths of movement of the lugs 208 on the levers. 206

and 222 and to embrace said lugs when said levers are actuated.

The rotative movements are imparted to each picker by a rack 232 (Figs. 9 and 10),

which is mounted to slide in a transverse bearing on the'corresponding arm 174. The

rack meshes with the teeth 182 011 the shank of the picker. The movements of the rack are derived from the levers 206 and 222. For this purpose, a bell-crank lever 234 (Figs. 8, 9 and 10). is mounted on a stud 236 on the arm 174, and is connected, by a pivot 238, with one end of a slidable plate 240,

which rests against the outer surface of the rack and retains it in its hearing. The other end of the plate 240 is connected, by a stud 242, with a second bell-crank lever 244 which is mounted on a stud 246 on the arm 174. The rack is longitudinally bored to receive a tension spring 248, of which one end is fixed to a pin 250 in therack, while the other end is attached, bya pin 252, to

the bell-crank lever 244.

In Fig. 8 the rack corresponding to that picker which is about to receive a heel lift is in its upper position, where it is retained by the friction of the parts. After the picker has been longitudinally advanced, as above described, into engagement with a lift, the continued movement of the lever 206results in a longitudinal sliding, movement of the sleeve 192 on the stem 1'76, and in, the yielding compression of the spring 194; At the same time, a lug 254 on upper end of the'lever engages the upper arm ofthe bell crank lever 234 and rocks this lever in a direction to move the plate 240 downwardly. Owing to the tension of the spring 248 the rack 232 yieldingly participates in the downward movement, causing the picker to rotate so that the claws 184 repairs, the plate 240 is arranged to be easily a i r 1,368,313

which are yieldingly pressed against the lift by the spring 194 are introduced into the substance of the lift in a direction in extension of their curvature by a concurrent,

rotating and advancing movement. The

claws l84 penetrate a greater or less distance been advanced into firm engagement with the surface of the lift by the force of the spring 194. The continued downward movement of the plate 240 after the rotation of the claws has been. arrested is permittedby elongation of the spring 248.

The contrary rotation of the picker, to release the lift, when the picker occupies its discharging position, is produced by engagement of the corresponding bell-crank lever 244 by a lug 256 on the lever 222. The lever 244 has an arm which engages the end of the rack and thus moves-it positively to a its original position.

For convenience in disassembling the pickermechanism, for the purpose of replacing or sharpening the claws, or for other disengaged from the lever 244. The stud 242 (Figs. 8 and 10) is provided with a flange 258 which is engaged by a plate 260, said plate beinglaterally slottedto receive the shank of the stud, as shown in dottedlines in Fig. 8. The plate 260 is mounted 'to swing about a pivot screw 262 and is provided, on its inner surface, with .a boss 264 which normally is held in engagement with a recess in the plate 240 by the action of a spring 261 bearing against the plate 260.

When the mechanism is to be disassembled,

the plate 260 may be swung out of engagement with I stud may be withdrawn from the lever-244'. The plate 240 may then be swung out of engagement with the rack, which may then be removed from its bearing and the picker can then be withdrawn from the arm 17 4.

Intermittent quarter-rotations are imparted to-the shaft 17 2 by mechanism shown in part in Figs. 2 and 3. A. skew-gear 266, f 55.

on the outer end of the shaft 172, meshes with a skew-gear 268 on-the upper end of a shaft 270 which'is journaled on the frame of the machine. The lower end of the shaft 270 is connected to any suitable means (not shown) for intermittently rotating said shaft in such manner as to produce periodic quarter rotations of the shaft 172 and the associated multi-arm picker mechanism.

The means just referred to, for intermittently rotating the shaft 270 may conventhe stud 242, whereupon this ientlyco nprise a mechanism similar to that shown and described in the hereinbefore mentioned Letters Patent No. 1,280,349, of Y which this application is a division, which mechanism may also serve to eifect I the intermittent longitudinal movements .of the shaft 62 by meansof which the feed chains 38 are actuated. These actuating mechanisms, however, form no part of'my present invention, except as they perform. certain functions which are necessary to the opera tion of those parts which constitute the present. invention.

Therefore, no illustration and description thereof is deemed necessary. A The heel lifts are discharged by the picker mechanism .into the series of receptacles 33 formed at the periphery of the circular carrier 31 which rotates about the vertical sleeve 29. At the periphery of the carrier 31 are 86 fixed a series of plates 308, which constitute supports upon which the lifts may rest inhorizontal position. The lift receptacles are completed by, abutments, in the form of fingers, arranged in pairs 310 and 312.which 90 are adapted to engage the edges of the heel lift resting upon the support. The fingers 310 engage the curved rear edge of the heel lift, while the fingers 312 engage the breast edge. These fingers are adjustably fixed in place, in accordance with the size of the lifts upon which the' 'machine is operating.

The fingers are so adjusted as to closely confine the heel lift against lateral or rotative movement in the plane of its extension, and accordingly, when the lift is introduced into one of the receptacles by the downward advancing movement of" the lowermost picker, as before described, the subsequent I shared. by the lift. Upon the succeeding retraction of the picker, the lift is therefore left lying in the receptacle.

As the operation of the machine proceeds,

the multiple picker mechanism transfers'the successive lifts from the stack upon the feed-table and deposits them into the successive receptacles upon the intermittently rotatable carrier 31, that serves to transfer the lifts to the operative instrumentalities by means of which the lifts are gaged and subsequently distributed into suitable receptacles. I .While the several'features' of the present invention have been illustrated and described as employed'in conjunctiomand in a machine for performinga particular operation upon heel lifts, it will be understood that the several novel features are not limited to-such conjoint and particular employment, but that the invention -may be em bodied in various other forms within the scope of the following claims That which is 'claimedkasnew, is

1. In a stock-handlingfimachine, feedmechanism having, in combination, a horizontal support on which a stack of heellifts of heel-stock may rest with their curved surfaces downward, meansfor advancing the stack on the support; means for engagin and clamping the pieces laterally at one en of the stack; and a gage arranged to engage and aline the breast-edges of the lifts which are in cooperative relation with. the clamping-means. I

2. In astock-handling machine, feedmechanism having, in combination, a support on. which a horizontal stack of pieces of. stock may be supported; a gage for en-v all directions by engagement with various 7 points on their edges means for feeding the stack of pieces in the direction of its length; and mechanism for moving all of said members simultaneously and porportionately toward or from each other to adjust them to pieces of different sizes.

4. In a stock-handling machine, a feedmechanism having, in combination, means for supporting a horizontal stack of heellifts with their breast-edges upward; means for engaging and alining the opposite sides thereof; means for feeding said stack by engagement with the sides thereof; means disposed at one end of the stack for engag-' ing and alining the breast-edges of the lifts; and means for concurrently adjusting the supporting means and the side and breastedge alining means. 5. In a stock-handling machine, a feedmechanism having, in combination, a sup port uponwhich a horizontal stack of pieces of stock may rest; means for engaging and alining the side and top edges of said pieces; means for advancing the stack; and means for concurrently adjusting the side and top alining means to accommodate pieces of different sizes. a

6. A feed-mechanism for pieces of stock having, in combination, means for supporting and advancing a stack of pieces, and means disposed at the end of the stack movable into and out of engagement with the exposed face of the end piece in the stack in a lateral direction in a plane that is inclined to the face thereof. I

7. A feed-mechanism for pieces of stock having, in combination, means for supportr from each ing and advancing a stack of pieces; anda stop-finger movable into engagement with the exposed face of the end piece in the stack, said finger being mounted upon a.

pivot inclined to the plane of the stack whereby said finger moves in a plane inclined to the exposed face of said end piece. 8. A feed-mechanism for pieces of stock having, in combination, means for supporting and advancing a stack of pieces, means disposed at the end of the stack movable into and out of engagement with the exposed face of the end piece .in the stack in planes that are inclined to the face thereof, and means for actuating'saidmeans yieldingly into engagement and positively out of engagement with said end piece.

9. A stock-handling machine having, 1 in combination, a support for a stack of pieces of*stock; means for removing pieces singly from the end of the stack; a finger for engaging and retaining the endmost piece in the stack between successive operations of said means; and mechanism for moving the finger into and out of operative position in a lateral direction along a pathinclined to the surface of the endmost piece of stock.

10. A stock-handling machine having, in

combination, means for holding a stack ofi pieces of stock; a rotatable device comprising a "plurality of pickers for successively seizing the endmost pieces in the stack; means for intermittently rotating said device to successively bring the several pickers into operative position; and means for positively locking said device in said operative positions.

11. A stock-handling machine having, in combination, means for holding a stack of pieces of stock; a rotatable device comprising a plurality of pickers for successively seizing the endmost pieces in the stack; means for intermittently rotating said device to successively bring the several pickers into operative position; and means for positively locking said devce in said operative positions and for advancing the operatively positoned picker into seizin .relation wit the endmost piece of the stac 12. A stock-handling machine having, in combination, means for holding a stack of pieces of stock; a device rotatable about an axis substantially in line with the stack and comprising a plurality of radially disposed pickers; means for intermittently rotating said device to successively bring the pickers into operative position in alinement with the stack; and means for causing each operatively positioned picker to seize the endmost piece in the stack.

13. A stock-handling machine having, in combination, means for holding the stock; picker-mechanism comprising a plurality of concentric helically projecting claws; and means for engaging t e claws with and rotatively introducing them into the stock in said holding means.

which the claw is clamped; and means for rotating the head.

15. In a stock-handling machine, pickermechanism having, in combination, a claw of helical form; an adjustable expansive member fitting within the claw; and a collar fitting outside the claw, the claw being clamped between said member and collar by the expansion of the former.

16. In a stock-handling machine, pickermechanism having, in combination, a shank provided with gear-teeth; a helical claw fixed at the end of the shank; a' tubular guideway for theshank; means for moving the shank longitudinally in the guideway; and means comprising a rack engaging said. gear -teeth for rotating the shank in the guideway.

17. In a stock-handling machine, pickermechanism having,in combination, a guide and supporting sleeve; a-movable head dis' posed therein; a curved claw held by said head; means for yieldingly moving said head longitudinally in said sleeve; and means for yieldingly rotating said head in said sleeve to introduce said clawinto the stock.

'18. In a stock-handling machine, pickermechanism'having, in combination, a tubular guideway provided with a longitudinal slot and with a transverse bearing {for a rack; a rack in said transverse bearing; a

shank mounted in the guideway and provided with gear-teeth engaging the rack; a

. lateral projection, from the shank, extending outwardly through said slot in the guideway; mechanism for engaging and moving said projection to advance the shank in the guideway and for moving the rack to rotate the shank; and a helical claw mounted at the end of the shank.

19. In a stock-handling machine, pickermechanism having, in combination, a tubular guideway; a shank mounted in the guideway; a helical claw mounted at -the end ofthe shank; means for moving the shank longitudinally in the guideway, to

engage the claw with apiece of stock, and

for rotating the shank to introduce the claw into the stock; and means for moving the guideway to transfer the stock from a posi-' tion of reception toa positlon of discharge.

20. A stock-handling machine having, in combination, astock-support, on which a piece of flat stock may lie, provided with abutments to engage the periphery of the pieceof stock and prevent rotation thereof;

- a picker provided with a helically project ing claw adapted to enter and hold a piece of stock; and means for moving the picker from a position of reception to a position in which the stock held thereby is applied to said support and introduced between said abutments thereon, and for thereafter rotating the picker to disengage the claw from the stock. v

21. A stock-handling machine, having, in

rack cooperating with said, teeth; and resilient means for actuating said rack to yieldingly rotate said clawinto the stock.

22. In a stock-handling machine, feed mechanism having, in combination, means for supporting astack of heel-lifts with their curved edges downward, means for advancing the stack on the support, means for engaging the opposite curved edges of a plurality of lifts adjacent one end of the stack to clamp said lifts laterally, and a gage plate for alining the breast edges of thelifts combination, a curved claw; a head for' holding said claw; teeth upon said head; a

engaged by said clamping means and preventing their upward displacement under the influence of saidclamping means.

23. In a stock-handling machine, pickermechanism having, in combination, a head rotatable about an axis normal to the stock;

a helically curved claw projecting therefrom; and means for advancing the head and claw in an axial directionand concurrently rotating the head and claw to cause the claw to penetrate the stock with a combined advancing and rotative movement in a'direction in extension of its curvature.

24. In a stock-handling machine, picker.-

mechanism having, in combination, a rotatable head;a helically curved claw projecting therefrom; and means for advancing the head and claw in a direction normal to the stock to cause the claw to engage the stock and subsequent to the engagement to continue the advancing movement andconcurrently rotate the claw to cause it to penetrate thestock with a combined advancing and rotative movement in a direction in extension of its curvature.

25. In 'a stock-handling'machine, pickermechanism having, in combination, a head rotatable about an axis normal to the stock; a helically curved claw projecting therefrom; means for advancing the head and claw in an axial direction to engage the claw with the stock; and-cooperating means for causing the claw to yieldingly penetrate the stock with a concurrent advancing and rotative movement in a direction in extension of its. curvature.

26. A stock-handling machine having, in' combination, means for holding and preventing angular" displacement of the stock; and a picker-mechanism for seizing and transferring the stock comprising a helically curved claw rotatable' about an axis normal to the stock and means for intropenetrate and seize the stock in said holding means; a support provided with abutments to receive the stock fro m said picker-mecha- 15 msm and retaln 1t. 1n definite posltlon;

means for causing said picker-mechanism to transferthe stock and position it upon said support and between said abutments; and

means for rotatably releasing said claw from 20 the stock definitely positioned upon said support.

' ERASTUS E. WINKLEY. 

